Open AccessHigh efficiency thin-film crystalline Si/Ge tandem solar cell
Author(s) -
Greg Sun,
Fu Chang,
Richard A. Soref
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.003746
Subject(s) - suns in alchemy , materials science , tandem , optics , thin film , solar cell , optoelectronics , photovoltaic system , energy conversion efficiency , solar cell efficiency , layer (electronics) , diode , reflection (computer programming) , plasmonic solar cell , polymer solar cell , nanotechnology , composite material , physics , ecology , computer science , biology , programming language
We propose and simulate a photovoltaic solar cell comprised of Si and Ge pn junctions in tandem. With an anti-reflection film at the front surface, we have shown that optimal solar cells favor a thin Si layer and a thick Ge layer with a thin tunnel hetero-diode placed in between. We predict efficiency ranging from 19% to 28% for AM1.5G solar irradiance concentrated from 1 approximately 1000 Suns for a cell with a total thickness approximately 100 microm.